Display rack



g- 1932- Y c. E. ANDERSON DISPLAY RACK Filed Feb. 27, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet *1 INVENTOR Aug. 9, 1932 c. E. ANDERSON mmzm DI SPLAY RACK Filed Feb. 27, 1931 2 Sheeis-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented Aug. 9, 1932 CARL E. ANDERSON, OF EAST' ORAN-GE, NEW JERSEY, .A SSIGNOR T EASTERN TOOL -&

MFG. 00., OF BLOOMFIELD, NEW

JERSEY DISPLAY RACK Application filed February 27, 1931.

This invention relates to a display rack base member.

which is easily collapsed for storage or transportation and which is also easily extended for use as a rack or easel. The rack includes two hinged members, preferably made ofw-ire, and which two members when extended cooperate to hold them in holding or supporting position by a snapping or springing "into position of two engaging 12 parts.

The rack is compact and can be con-struct ed to hold boxes, preferably in onerow above another, and in this way access is given to the uncovered part of the lower box. This 15 rack is preferably made of wire and holds its supporting position without means other than the formation of the respective parts which cooperate to secure the parts in shape to display goods.

' The rack can be made in the form of a counter display rack or it can be made in the form of an easel for placards and for larger articles.

The invention is illustrated in the accom- 2'5 panying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of my improved rack. Figure 2 is a top View of the rack shown in Figure 1 but with the parts folded down to collapsed or folded 3 position. Figure 3 is a perspective View of a modified form of new display rack in eX- tended position. Figure 4 is a similar View on a smaller scale and showing boxes in position in the rack shown in Figure 3. Figure 5' is a small side view of the rack of Figures 3 and 4 in folded or collapsed condition.

The rack is made of wire which term includes not only round wire but any form of metal strip subject to bending.

The rack shown in Figures 1 and 2 is of the easal type and comprises a base member 1 having the eyes 2 at its ends. The base member is U-shaped and the rear portion 3 N of the side arms 4 are at an angle so that they diverge from the cross strand 5 toward the front of the easel. The supporting member is also U-shaped and is pivoted to the front of the base member.

her is usually hinged to the base member by '50 passing the ends through the eyes 2 of the The supportingmem- 7 Serial No. 518;675.

extends downwardly to form the return bends which form feet which co-operate with the rear or crossstrand 5 of the base member to provide'adeq'uate and balanced support for the article.

The side arms 80f the supporting member in conjunction with the divergent parts 3 of the side arms of the base members exercise a action when the supporting member is lifted from collapsed position to supporting position. This action causes the parts 3 to be squeezed inwardly and arms 8 to be spread slightly until the loop 9 is snapped over the stnand 3 0f the base member. holds up the base member at the front "end to support an articleto be displayed. Iillustrate a placard in dotted outline as the sup-- ported article in Figure 1.

The rack for holding boxes or trays comprises a base member which is substantially =U-shaped having a cross strand 10 at the back :and having at its ends the eyes 11 Hinged to the base member is a supporting memberalsoyof a substantially L -shape when viewed from the front. The ends of the supporting anember form pins or pi-n tles 12 around which the eyes 11 are bent. The side strands 13 of the supporting member lead from return bends 14 which form feet on which, the back strand 10, the rack rests.

The base member has a rectangular open The supporting member then This loo 9 frame 15 secured across the frontpart which framesupporits the front part'of a boxer tray a or other article. welded at "its ends to the side strands 1'6 of theibase member. The rear part ofthe boxa is supported by the cross strand 17 of the supporting member. This will be clearly evident 'from Figure 2. The-cross strand is de pressed or bent down slightly to form the shoulders 18 which engage the sides of the boxes wand hold'them against side movement.

The rear part of theb-asc member becomes narrower toward the rear. 16 have divergent portions '19 that is, the parts 1-9 are closer together at the base strand 10 than Where they Ioi-n the parts 16. The narrow or short distance between the corners is about the same as the distance between The frame 15 is usually The side strands e the side arms or strands 13. When folded as in Figure 3, the strands 13 and 19 are not under appreciable tension where they cross at 21. \Vhen the rack is extended to display position as in Figures 1 and 2 the supporting memberis lifted while the base member is held down. The side strands 13 press in on the strands 19 as they travel toward the wider part and thus the strands 19 are put under spring tension until they snap into the open loops 22 in the side arms 13. The parts are thus held in position for display purposes. Of, course, the loops 22 can'be placed in the strands l9 and the strand 13 leftstraight and thus mere reversal of parts or an equivalent snap device come within the terms of the cooperating parts to hold the rack extended.

If another-box or row of boxes is to be isplayed I'provi'de a second supporting member of U-shaped form with side strands 23 and having eyes 24 bent around the pins 12. The side strands 23 are oflset intermediate the top and bottom as at 25 and an open frame 26 is secured across themember between the portions 25. The cross strand 27 is depressed to form the shoulders 28 and thus holds a box bthe front end of which rests in the frame 26.

The cross arm 27 rests-on the rear part of the box a of the lower tier and the secondsupporting frame is thus held in proper position as the front end is supported on'the hinge joint 12.

I claim 2- 1. A rack comprising a substantiallyVU- shaped wire base member, a substantially U-shaped supporting member hinged at its ends to the front of the base member and bent down to form feet and then upwardly to frictionally engage the side strands of the base member and having a cross bar to support the rear end of a box, and a frame extending across the front of the base member to support the front endof the box.

2. A rack comprising a substantially U- shaped wire base member, a substantially U-shaped supporting member hinged at its ends to the front of the base member and bent down to form feet and then upwardly to frictionally engage the side strands of the base member and having a cross bar to support the rear end of a box, a frame extending across the front of the base member tosupport the front end of the box, a top member that is substantially U-shaped and hinged to the front of the base member and having a cross bar tosupport a second box and to rest on the box of the first supporting member,

and a frame on the top member and intermediate its upper and lower ends to support the front end of the second box.

3. A display rack comprising a substantially U-shaped wire base with its side strands slightly convergent toward the rear, a wire supporting member of V substantially V member and base in position.

7 second supporting shaped form pivoted at its ends to the ends of the base and having its side arms arranged to slightly compress the divergent arms when the supporting member is raised into positionand having on at least one of its side strands an open divergent strand and yieldingly hold the t. A display rack comprising a member to hold an'article in inclinedposition, and a second supporting member for holding an article, the second member being in hinged relation to the first member at the front and resting at the back on the article in the first member. V

5. A display rack comprising a Wire base of U-shape form and having convergent side arms and having eyes at the ends and having a wire frame extending across the base and secured to the arms, a supporting member of loop to receive its adjacent U-shaped form and having its ends passing through the eyes of the base and its side strands forming return bends which act as feet for the front of the rack and having its cross arm at the rear to co-operate with the frame of the base to support a box and having on at least one side strand an open loop to engage a side strand of the base to hold the supporting member in position, a

member of U-shaped form and having eyes at its ends around the ends of the first supporting member,the second supporting member having off-set portions in its side strands, and a frame secured to said off-set portions to support the front end of abox and with rear strand to support the back end of the second box and'rest on the box in the first member.

In testimony whereof ture.

he afiixes his signa- OARLE. ANDERSON. 

